Variable-light refractor



Julyy 15, 1930. T. w. sUKuMLYN VARIABLE LIGHT REFRAGTOR Filed April 26 1927 INVENTOR. Ffa/ms Il. JUm//MLYN A TTORNEY,

Patented July 1s, 1930 UNITED sTAinsi PATENT OFFICE THOMAS W. suxUmLYN, or nos ANGELES, cALrFoRNIA VARIABLE-LIGHT niirnAcTon Application filed April ze,

This invention relates to refraction, and

1o is sometimes impracticable or undesirable.

It is one of the objects of my invention to make itpossible to vary the angle of refraction of"a ray of light in a simple manner and without moving the refractor'. I have found that when a transparent dielectric medium through which light is to be transmitted is subjected to an electrostatic strain, as by imposing a 'difference of potential between its two surfaces, the angle of re- 2o fraction can bevaried by varying the intensity of the strain. It is thus another object of'my invention to utilize this principle forvarying the angle of refraction.l

My invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more easily apparent from av consideration of one embodimentof my invention. For this purpose I have shgwn a form in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I shall now proceed to describe this form in detail, which illustrates the general' principles of my invention;`but it is to be understood that this detailed description isl notI to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope ofpm invention is best dened b the appended c aims.

Referring to the yrawing, the single figure is a diagrammatic scheme showing how my invention may be practiced.v

Inthe drawings I show a plurality of refractors, constructed and operated in accordance with my invention. The sourceA of light is indicated at 11, which can pass light through a light polarizer 14; such as a Nicol prism, throughone or more refracting devices, suc as 12 and (13. The light rays are refracted through the refractingdevices 12'and 13, 1n the course shown in general by the 'dotted line 15.

The light then passes obliquely 1927. serial 11091863101.

'Ihe refracting device12 comprises a transi parent insulation casing 18, across which ex-` tends the transparent dielectric 19 separating the casingV 18 into two parts; one part accommodating the body of transparent electrolyte 20` and the other^part, the body of transparent electrolyte 21. These bodies of electrolyte can be weak acid solutions or the like. They impressl an electrical stress on the medium 19, and toaccomplish this, these bodies Q0 .l i

are subjected toi potential diiierences,as by the aid of a pair of electrodes 22, and 23, dipping therein. These electrodes are shown as connecting to a source of electrical energy 24, l the potential difference of which can be ad-` .65 justed as by w variable resistor 25. F It has been found that fluctuations in the potential difference applied to the electro'des 22, 23, cause corresponding variation d f in the angle of refraction through medium 19. These variations can be made easily controllaloleby providing for tine adjustment of the resistance 25. Thus itis possible to shift y thight ray to other pbsitions thanv that sh n lat 15; forexample, to an'extreme po- 5 sition 16. The refracting arrangement 13 is substan tially similar to the refracting arrangementf 12 except thatthere are'two dielectric medis ums' 26 and 27 which may be in the .form of a 80 gas, or a liquid, containedin a glass or transparent container. In this instance, the krefractorarrangement has three distinct and separate isolatedbodiesfof transparent elec- I trolytes 28, 29 and 30,'through which the light 85 beam passes in succession. Each body of the electrolyte has a. corresponding electrode 31,

32 and 33, which may be connected to a source ,34, maintaining these electrodes 31, 32 and 33- 90 at different potentials with-respect 'to eac r other, which potentials can be varied to vary the angles of refraction, as by the aid of such devices as the variable resistances 35, 36 and 37 The operationv of this refractor issub- 95' stantially the same as that of refractor 12.' Any number of banks of refractors can be used in .this way to causethe refracted ray ,to assume any desired position. The important point in all of them is the creation` l y means for impressing a potential difference 'i of electric stresses that can be readily varied in order t8 vary the position of the beam.

I claim. vl. The method of varying the an le of l refraction through a transparent die ectric medium, which comprises subjecting the medium to variable electric stresses.

2. The method of"varying the angle of lrefraction through a transparent dielectric medium, which comprises covering both sides of the medium with a transparent electrolyte, and producin a variable difference in potential between t e electrolyte on one side of the medium and that on the other side.

` 3. In combination, a transparent dielectric medium, and means for varying the angle of refraction through said medium, comprisin means for varying the electric stress throug the medium.

4. In a light refractor, a transparent dielectric medium, a body of transparent electrolyte on each 'side of the medium, and

between the two bodies of electrolyte.

5. In a light refractor, a transparent dielectric medium, a body of transparent electrolyte on each side of the medium, and

means for varying the angle of refraction through the medium, comprisin means for varying the potential difference etween the two bodies of electrolyte. v

6. In a light refractor, a series of transparent dielectric mediums through which light is arranged to pass in successlon, trans# parent electrolyte bodies, isolated from each other and interveningbetween the mediums, and means for impressing potential difierences between the various bodies. v

7. In a light refractor, a series of transparent dielectric mediums through which light is arranged to pass in succession, transparent electrolyte bodies, isolated from each ,other and intervening between the mediums,

and means for varying the potential differ- ,ence between the various electrolyte bodies to vary the angles of refraction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y THOMAS W. SUKUMILYN. 

